Borderline shooter had flashlight, laser attached to handgun; fired more than 50 rounds

Ventura County Sgt. Ron Helus was killed after responding to a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He was laid to rest on Thursday following a memorial service for the fallen officer.
Sandy Hooper, USA TODAY

People comfort each other as they stand near the scene after a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks.(Photo11: AP PHOTO)

Law enforcement officials are still working to determine why a gunman killed 12 people this month in a crowded Southern California bar before killing himself but have ruled out religious or ideological radicalization.

In one of the first major press conferences since the Nov. 7 mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, officials from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office detailed how the suspect fired more than 50 rounds at patrons, put himself in position to attack law enforcement and spoke about the victims' chances of survival.

"As to the motive, we are no closer to determining that today than we were at the onset of the incident," Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayu said.

But investigators have ruled out some reasons for the rampage.

"At this point, we have no indication of radicalization but, along with the sheriff's department, we continue to look to identify any motive," said Paul Delacourt, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles field office.

Former Marine Ian David Long, 28, is the alleged shooter. Officials believe he entered the Borderline bar just before just before 11:20 p.m. and opened fire with a Glock 21, a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol equipped with a high-capacity magazine.

Before Long turned the gun on himself, he allegedly killed 12 people, including sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus.

Watching the conference from a nearby sidewalk was the family of Telemachus ‘Tel’ Orfanos, a 27-year-old victim of the massacre.

“We felt it was important to be here,” said Marc Orfanos, Telemachus’ father, as his wife, Susan Schmidt-Orfanos and a son, Tymaeus ‘Ty’ Orfanos, stood nearby, giving interviews to media members.

“Our goal is to find a way to curb gun violence,” Marc Orfanos said. “It takes being able to buck up and just lay everything out.”

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These were the stories, the lives and the dreams of the 12 victims of the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California.
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“I just hope no one else feels it,” he said, referring to the pain of losing his son.

In the days since the shooting, FBI investigators have worked alongside sheriff's homicide detectives to collect hundreds of pieces of evidence from Borderline and Long's home. An estimated 90 FBI investigators were on scene during the eight days they surveyed the crime scene and Long's home, Ayub said.

No other weapons were located at the scene or at Long's home, officials said. The suspect did not have a license to carry a concealed weapon, Ayub said.

"Part of this ongoing investigation will be to construct a detailed timeline of how and when these events unfolded. At this time, we do not have the details in place to provide you with that," Ayub said.

On the night of the shooting, Ayub said Long entered the bar at 11:18 p.m. and immediately began firing at patrons and throwing smoke grenades. A flashlight and a laser were attached to the handgun, Ayub said.

Long fired more than 50 rounds and stabbed at least one patron with a folding knife.

"After shooting the victims inside the bar, the suspect positioned himself in preparation for the law enforcement response," Ayub said.

Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer entered the bar and were met with gunfire.

"The suspect ambushed the officers nearly immediately from a position of tactical advantage," Ayub said.

By the time Long died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, he had struck 13 people with gunfire, only one of whom would survive.

The firearm used in the shooting had been purchased legally by Long in 2016 at a Simi Valley gun shop, Ayub said.

The high-capacity magazines, however, are illegal to possess and purchase in California. At the time of the shooting, Long was reportedly in possession of seven high-capacity magazines, five of which were recovered fully loaded, Ayub said.

In the aftermath of shooting, Ventura County Medical Examiner Christopher Young said his agency worked with the help of two physicians from Los Angeles County.

"All of the victims died rapidly as the result of one or more gunshot wounds. The victims sustained injuries to vital areas. Many of the gunshot wounds were from close proximity and there was no chance of survival," Young said.

Young added he has no information to suggest that the bullets fired by law enforcement struck any of the victims The rifles used by officers leave distinct types of wounds and have a distinct appearance on X-rays, he said.

"All of the evidence that I have so far indicates that these injuries were caused by a handgun like the one carried by the suspect," Young said.

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Blake Dingman, 21, in the desert during Thanksgiving 2017, his favorite place. Dingman was one of 12 victims killed at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on Nov. 7, 2018. Dingman family

Daniel Manrique, 33, was a Marine Corps veteran who started the Ventura County chapter of Team Red, White and Blue in 2014 to help fellow veterans make the transition from military to civilian life. Team Red, White & Blue

Jason Coffman received confirmation that his son Cody, 22, who was about to join the Army, was dead. Coffman broke down as he told reporters how his last words to his son were not to drink and drive and that he loved him.
“Oh, Cody, I love you, son,” Coffman sobbed. AFP Contributor#AFP

Sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus, who was shot after he entered the building, died at a hospital.
Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several 911 calls when they arrived at the bar around 11:20 p.m., the sheriff said. They heard gunfire and went inside. Helus was immediately struck by multiple gunshots, Ventura County Sheriff's Office

Alaina Housley, a freshman at Pepperdine University, had gone to the Borderline to line dance with friends. As word of the shooting spread, her aunt, "The Real" host and "Sister, Sister" star Tamera Mowry-Housley, scoured social media, frantically looking for her niece. Mowry-Housley's husband, Adam Housley, asked his nearly 100,000 Twitter followers for prayers, as they held out hope she was OK.
By late Thursday morning, however, the couple learned Alaina Housley didn't make it out of the bar alive.
"Our hearts are broken," they said in a statement. "Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her, and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner." Adam Housley, AP

Justin Allen Meek, 23, never stayed idle. At Coronado High School, he was an Eagle Scout, president of the Octagon Club and captain of the JV water polo team, according to his LinkedIn page.
While attending California Lutheran University, Meek studied criminal justice and kept up his water polo skills, while also taking part in choir and serving as president of Club Italia. On the rare free time he had, he worked as a lifeguard for the city of Coronado.
Meek was working Wednesday night as a security guard at the Borderline Bar and Grill when the shooting started. He died trying to save others, according to California Lutheran and several social media postings. Channel Islands Social Services, AP

Sean Adler was a bouncer at the Borderline Bar & Grill. He also was a strength coach at Royal High School and is one of the victims of a gunman's rampage at the Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Debra Ross, AP

Noel Sparks, a 21-year-old college student, loved going to the Borderline Bar & Grill, so friends and family were not surprised when she posted a photo of herself dancing there Wednesday night.
Sparks was a regular at Borderline, where she spent Halloween and celebrated her 21st birthday in August. She often went there with friends and her mom. She was majoring in art at nearby Moorpark College.
Sparks worked part time at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village. She helped with children's programs, the Rev. Shawn Thornton told the Associated Press. AP